Animal-releasing device



(No Model.)

. S. COATS;

ANIMAL RELEASING DEVICE.

No. 327,239. Patented Sept. 29, 1885.

ATTORNEY.

N. PETiRS, Pmwulhe n ben wm'mmun. D. C,

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL COATS, OF BRIDGEPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

ANiiVlAL-RELEASING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming pent of Letters Patent No. 327,239, datedSeptember 29, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL Cons, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Montgomery, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inAnimal-Releasing Devices for Stables, 820., which improvement is fullyset forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 represents a side elevation, partly sectional, of areleasing device for stables e111- bodying my invention. Fig. 2represents a top or plan view thereof, partly sectional. Fig. 3represents a vertical section in lineman, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in theseveral figures.

The object of myinvention is the automatic releasing of animals fromtheir fastening devices in stables, &c., and automatic opening of thedoors thereof in the event of fire or other danger, as will behereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a portion of a stable, and B thefeed-troughs thereof.

0 represents a slide, which is fitted to the top of the feed-trough andpassed through slotted keepers D, which are connected with thefeedtrough, said slide 0 having slots E, which are open at the sideofthe said slide,so that the slots may be in and out of communicationwith the slots of the keeper, it being noticed that the outer walls ofthe slots form catches E for the rings or loops of the halter orhitching-straps, which latter are attached to the animals in the stable.One end of the slide is formed with a lip, F, with which engages anelbow-lever, G, which has a weight, H, attached to its outer end by cordH, whereby said lever may be held in upright position, it being noticedthat the lower limb of said elbow-lever is bifurcated, so that it may beengaged with opposite sides of the lip F on the slide 0.

J represents the door of the stable, the same being suitably hung, andhaving aspring, K, beari ng against it, wherebyit is self-opening in itsnature, said door being held shut by a dog. or latch, L, which engageswith a suitable hook or catch on the door, said dog having connectedwith it a cord or chain, M, preferably the latter, asit isincombustible, the same being suitably guided above or around the doorand connected with the cord H, it being noticed that the weightconnected with the lever G is adapted to exert its power on both thecord H and chain M.

It will be seen that when the cord H is drawn taut it raises the leverG, whereby the slide 0 is moved outward, causing the catches E thereofto hold the ring or loops of the halter or hitching -straps, it beingnoticed that said catches E project across the slots of the keep ers D,the cord H being properly tied 01' 0th erwise secured.

The door J is closed and held by the dog L, it being noticed that thechain M is loose. In the event of fire or other danger the cordHisreleased in any suitable manner, whereby the lever G under the action ofits weight drops, forcibly causing the slide to be pushed inwardly, thusplacing the slots of said slide in communication with the slots of thekeepers, the catches of the slide clearing the slots of the keeper,whereby the halter or hitchingstraps are released from said slide andthe animals are free. Simultaneously therewith the chain M, having beensubjected to the are tion of the falling weight, raises the dog-L clearof the hook or catch on the door, and as the door is now controlled byits spring it flies open, so that the animals can escape therethrough. a

The cord or rope H is run through the barn or stable wherever fire islikely to occur, and in order to cause the cord to burn quickly and thusbe severed it is saturated with a mixture of tar and turpentine or otherhighly-inflammable material, so that when fire breaks out in the barn orstable and the cord is burned through the slide C and dog L will beautomatically operated, as is evident, the saturation of the cord orrope with the above mate: rial also preventing the destruction of thesame by rats, mice, 8:0.

A short chain, H, is interposed between the outer end of the lever G andlower end of the cord or rope H, so that the expansion and contractionof the latter will not disturb the releasing devices of the slide anddoor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A releasing device for stables, having a slide with catches, keepersfor covering and uncovering said catches, a weighted lever forcontrolling said slide, and a cord or chain for holding said lever inelevated position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A releasing device consisting of a slide having catches,a levercontrolling said slide, a weight attached to said lever, and a cord forholding said lever and weight in an elevated position,in combinationwith a chain attached to the said weight and connected to and operatinga latch attached to a spring-actuated door, substantially as described.

3. The slide 0, having lip F and catches E,

' in combination with keepers D, elbow-lever

